Chapter 1
I Groping In A Strange Environment: 1788-1851
II Farmers Take The Initiative: 1851-1888
III Enter Education And Science: 1888-1927
IV Agricultural Science Pays Dividends: 1927-1987
i CSIR and CSIRO
ii Returns from agricultural research
iii Research funding
V Examples Of Research And Development 1928-1988
VI International Aspects Of Agricultural Research
VII Future Prospects
VIII Acknowledgements
References
Index
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CSIR and CSIRO (continued)
The establishment and growth of the CSIR was also influenced by a small but important group of scientists who encouraged its development as an elite research organisation, superior in quality to any other organisation then engaged in research in Australia. To this end, when the six divisions of Animal Nutrition, Economic Botany, Economic Entomology, Forest Products, Soils, and Animal Health were set up in 1928-1930, every effort was made to attract the best available scientists to be the divisional chiefs. In practice this meant seeking prominent scientists in the United Kingdom and the Empire, and offering them attractive conditions in terms of freedom of operation and facilities. The final selection procedure was a little reminiscent of the manner in which the first Secretary for Agriculture in Victoria was chosen. The man identified by discreet enquiry as potentially the most suitable for each post was invited to write a report on the problems of research. Only after his report was received and judged acceptable was he offered the job.Despite the fact that not all the initial appointees as divisional chiefs were unqualified successes in their new posts, the emphasis on scientific excellence in appointments to CSIR, and the general desire to create something akin to the best overseas university research facilities and atmosphere, did enable the organization to achieve a high reputation for research and some notable scientific achievements in support of the rural industries. After the Second World War, under the leadership of Sir lan Clunies Ross, the CSIRO was expanded rapidly during a period of heightened confidence in the ability of science to solve the problems of the rural industries. In more recent years the organization has suffered the same cold draught of retrenchment and redirection of interests that has been felt by similar organizations in the United Kingdom, the United States and other industrialized countries.[44]
Organisations in Australian Science at Work - CSIRO
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Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering |  |
© 1988 Print Edition page 26, Online Edition 2000
Published by Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, using the Web Academic Resource Publisher
http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/031.html